Abstract
(1) The present paper deals with the proximate analysis of the mycelium of Gloeosporium Olivarum and also nutrient absorption by the pathogen, with particular stress on the effect of sodium 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetate.
(2) Proximate analysis of the mycelium showed that hot water extract, dilute HCl extract and residue after successive extraction are much higher in the 2, 4-D culture than the control. Hemicellulose and chitinlike substances probably account for the increase of the latter 2 groups. On the other hand, the significant decrease of ether extract and cold water extract was observed in the 2, 4-D culture, indicating that energy rich materials of a lipide nature and also the water soluble substances, known to have a close relation with metabolism, may contribute to the lower values of these fractions. Total nitrogen showed little difference between mycelia grown on media with or without 2, 4-D.
(3) As might be expected, the absorption of glucose and nitrogen from the medium was strikingly suppressed in the case of the 2, 4-D culture where the mycelial growth was restricted. However, grams absorbed per gram cell material synthesized become high by the presence of 2, 4-D. This significant increase of nitrogen absorption in media 2, 4-D added despite its lower content in the mycelium suggests that an abnormal nitrogen metabolism is severely undergoing.
